KARACHI - After formation of PPP government in the province, the Sindh Assembly in its first session on Tuesday passed resolutions demanding unanimously the Punjab and federal governments to close down the Chashma Jhelum and Taunsa Panjnad link canals immediately.
The provincial assembly unanimously adopted another resolution condemning the Senate Committee on Water and Power over its decision of curtailing the KESC’s electricity share from national grid. The House, which commenced one hour late than its scheduled time of 3 pm in the evening with Acting Speaker Syeda Shehla Raza in chair, witnessed pandemonium and exchange of harsh words between PPP lawmakers and PML-F and PML-N members over criticism on their performance and parties.
Four new members including former Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim of PML-N, PPP’s Makhdoom Khaliluz Zaman, Dost Muhammad Rahimon and Abid Sundrani took oath as members of Sindh Assembly.
After emotional speeches of PPP members against PML-N governments at Punjab and Centre, the House adopted a resolution moved by PPP’s MPA Jam Khan Shoro.
The assembly, through its resolution, recommended the Sindh government to approach the Centre for closing down the Chashma Jhelum and Taunsa Panjnad link canals immediately.
Though, the MPAs of PML-N and PML-F did not spoke against the PML-N government but they voted in support of the resolution.
Chief Minister Sindh Syed Qaim Ali Shah, speaking on the floor of the House, admitted the shortage of water mainly due to releasing of water in Chashma Jhelum Link Canal in Punjab illegally.  Sindh CM informed the assembly that his government had taken up the issue with IRSA, demanding and an end to water release in link canals. Chief minister, pointing fingers towards the PML-N and PML-F members sitting on opposition benches, asked them to raise this issue with their government at Centre.
Qaim termed release of water in Chashma Jhelum Link Canal illegal saying water could not be released in canals without prior permission of Sindh Chief Minister.
He said Sindh govt was very much alive. He hoped that water availability would improve.
PPP leader and senior minister Nisar Ahmed Khuhro said PPP would not allow the PML-N government to snatch rights of the Sindh province.
Pointing fingers to the PML-F and PML-N members, PPP’s senior minister said some parties in the house are silent today as they are equally responsible for anti-Sindh decisions by Centre and Punjab government.
He said those who forcibly released water in Chashma Jhelum Link Canal in 1985, are in government at Centre and Punjab today and started taking anti-Sindh decisions. He announced that PPP will take stand against federal government’s anti-Sindh policies.
MQM’s Deputy Parliamentary leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan said his party supported the resolution. He said MQM will support Sindh government on the issue.
PML-F’s parliamentary leader Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh demanded that CJ and TP link canals in Punjab must be closed immediately.
He said there was mismanagement in water distribution at provincial level, so the Sindh government should keep its house in order first.
PML-F’s female member Nusrat Sehar Abbasi, supporting the resolution, said President Zardari is from Sindh, so hopefully he will safeguard the rights of the province. Her remarks about president caused pandemonium in the house for few minutes. PPP lawmakers stood up on their seats and started protesting.
PML-N member Haji Shafi Jamote also supported the resolution. During his, another PML-N member Mrs Sorath Thebo asked the chair to be silent and allow her party’s member to speak on the resolution.
The remarks of PML-N lady lawmaker perturbed the acting speaker who asked Thebo to be cautious about passing such comments otherwise she could be expelled from the House.
The House witnessed pandemonium on many occasions during the proceedings as PPP and PML-F members exchanged harsh words.
Earlier, PTI’s Hafeezuddin on an adjournment motion, urged the House to allow him to discuss the Senate Committee on Water and Power decision, which had curtailed KESC’s electricity share of 650MW from the national grid.
After arguments from both sides, the chair disposed of the adjournment motion on technical grounds and allowed the MQM’s Khalid Ahmed to move a resolution on this matter.
The Sindh Assembly through a resolution moved by the MQM member condemned the Senate Committee’s decision cutting KESC’s share of electricity from national grid.
Qaim Ali Shah speaking on the issue said Senate committee could not quash the CCI’s decision of giving 650MW to Karachi from national grid.
Sindh CM urged the house to strength his hands by passing a unanimous resolution on the issue to take up the case of Sindh in coming meeting of the CCI. Qaim said Sindh’s share was 71pc in production of natural gas but in return it was receiving only 22pc. He said PML-N’s Punjab government had requested the Senate Committee and CCI to make uniform loadshedding of electricity. Qaim said Sindh government opposed the idea, terming it against the constitution.
The House passed another resolution, moved by Sharmila Farooqi, recommending the Sindh government to made DNA test mandatory in rape cases and provide facility to victims free of cost and construct a laboratory in this regard in the province. The members irrespective of their political divide supported the resolution.
The resolution comes in the wake of controversial recommendation by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) last month. The CII had recommended that DNA should not be included as a primary evidence with regard to rape cases. They held the view that Islam has set procedures to determine cases of rape and said Islamic procedure should be adopted during investigation.
Later, the chair readout the order of the acting government and prorogued the proceedings till indefinite period.